Akuma no Hitomi
by yukuro
Summary: Fuji Syusuke hides behind a deceptive mask to hide his violent true nature before it was unfortunately revealed. Only two people have been able to see through the mask and one decides to help. [TxF], slight [SaekiFuji], [small spoilers]


**Disclaimer:** I…I…love you too x.o;

**Warning:** slight spoilers for Rikkai Dai Fuzoku matches

            Akuma no Hitomi

                        By: yukuro

            Fuji Syusuke wore a mask. His delicate face with light strands of hair framing the sides was constantly adorned with a closed-off mask of a gentle yet deceiving smile. Fuji liked to deceive people. He would always hide his dangerous true nature behind his impenetrable smiling mask. Very few had ever been able to see past the angel's smile. However, more than less of the time the person would be frozen in place by his sharp demon eyes.

            Sitting down on the bench in the dark room, Fuji sighed softly with his smile in place. It had been a day just like any other. The regulars had another intense training session and after everyone else had left, Fuji sat alone in the clubroom. Usually Oishi would be there to lock up, but since the vice captain had matters that had caused him to leave early that day, he had turned to Fuji to help him out.

            Fuji never did know why above all the other reliable regulars Oishi had specifically chosen him for the job today. They were not particularly close in any way and Fuji was sure any the other regulars would have covered for the kind green-eyed boy if he had asked. Why him then? Maybe it was pity.

            Turning slightly, the smiling boy unzipped his bag and examined the contents. Noticing his cell phone on top of his clothes, Fuji picked it up. He had missed a few calls while he was in practice. Scanning the list, Fuji's smile softened he saw that most of them were from Saeki.

            After his shocking match with Kirihara Akaya from Rikkai Dai, everyone had been just a bit more tense around him than usual. The other regulars still treated him the same and his brother and sister as well, but there was a certain air of disheveled truth that hung about. That day, a bit of Fuji's true nature shone through for the first time to public eyes; the violent side.

            It had already been a while since the match, but the same atmosphere was constantly around Fuji. A few people looked at him strangely with doubt, but he never did mind. All he had to do was simply smile and outer doubts would be suppressed. It was effective. No one was able to tell how the fear of his own nature had affected him. No one…or so he had thought.

            Saeki had begun wanting to spend more time with him after the match. Fuji knew his friend was worried about him, especially after seeing a few of the nasty bruises that stained his body as a souvenir of the match. Saeki was always kind to him and treated him well and carefully, but Fuji was never really sure how he really felt.

            "Why are you suddenly doing all these things for me?" Fuji had asked his friend before when they took a break over the weekend to meet. Fuji still smiled though, probably out of force of habit. "Not only do you live so far away, but doesn't it cost you quite a bit of money to ride the train all the way over?"

            "I don't mind," Saeki had replied with a laugh. "I have to admit, I've been wanting to see you more often for a long time. I think," the taller boy said quietly as he watched his friend with concern, "it was your match with Kirihara that pushed me to it. Fuji, you're my friend. Anyone would be wrong if they said I didn't worry about you even though we're so far apart. I just…need to see you more often." Studying the smiling boy's surprised expression, Saeki quickly added with a carefree laugh, "That is, if you don't mind."

            "I don't mind," Fuji replied in his soft voice as his smile eased. He had to admit he felt relaxed around his childhood friend, but he was never able to help thinking of someone else he wished to see as well.

            "The captain of your team," Saeki said slowly, as if reading the other boy's mind. "He's still not back yet, is he?"

            "Tezuka…" Fuji said quietly, his smile losing its edge for a moment before bouncing back into place. "No, Tezuka isn't back yet. The whole team is waiting for him to come back soon. We all miss him."

            Saeki glanced at his friend's wistful expression for a moment before shifting his gaze down to the ground. "You say 'the team,' but you really only speak for yourself, don't you?" he muttered to himself quietly to ensure Fuji would not be able to hear him. Closing his eyes with a smile, he sat up straight again and stretched his arms. "This feels like a date," he said aloud with a laugh, "eh, Fuji?"

            "I suppose," Fuji replied easily, a slight chuckle escaping his lips. "Not that I see any reason someone would want to go on a date with me."

            "Don't be ridiculous," Saeki laughed, waving his hand. Smiling at the other boy, his eyes glittered. "There are plenty of people, Fuji." Closing his eyes again, Saeki leaned over and rest his head on the shorter boy's shoulder. "Are you afraid?"

            Tensing slightly, Fuji's smile was strained and his fists tightened. "What do you mean by that? Afraid of what?"

            Sighing, Saeki reached up and placed his hand on top of his friend's head while his own head still rest on the boy's shoulder. "Of yourself, Fuji. Are you so afraid that you would lock yourself up behind such a smile? Fuji, I've known you for a long time. Maybe that doesn't mean much to you, but it does to me. As much as I like to see you smile, I was wondering when you would be able to show me your true face."

            _Tenshi no egao ga mieru…_

            "That's something you wouldn't want to see," Fuji said plainly, staring straight ahead. "There's a reason I hide it."

            _…demo ano akuma no hitomi ga chotto kowai ne…_

            "I know that," Saeki breathed a sigh. His lips formed a tight line before he spoke again. "After the match with Kirihara, they said you have the eyes of a demon. I can't believe that though. Fuji, I know you are a kind person. I only wish you weren't afraid to show it."

            _Chigai…kowakunai…zenzen kowakunai…_

            "I want you to be happy, really," Saeki said with a smile as he brought his hand down to hang around Fuji's shoulders. "Otherwise I wouldn't worry so much. In fact, I wouldn't be so concerned about your happiness if I didn't like you so much. Fuji, there's no reason to be afraid. Cowards are afraid, but those who care for you most will understand."

            _Tsubuyaite…_

            Fuji had no idea who the people who cared for him most were at that time. Come to think of it, he still did not know. Just as he raised his head to stare up at the blank ceiling, his cell phone lit up. Looking down to examine it, Fuji noticed at the very bottom of his missed calls list, there was an unfamiliar number listed.

            _Probably just a telemarketer,_ Fuji dismissed it to himself as he pulled his clothes out of his bag. The sun was beginning to set and he needed to get home soon. Wincing slightly as he pulled his shirt over his head, Fuji set his school uniform out in front of him. Before he put it on, he slowly ran his finger of the light bruise on his stomach. It was round and still a bit dark although it had been a long time since it was formed. Although the bruise itself did not necessarily hurt, it still hurt to touch the painful memory.

            The light suddenly switched on and a figure stood in the doorway before him. Quickly pulling his shirt up to cover the bruise, Fuji placed his smile in place. "Sorry," he breezily apologized to whoever stood at the door. "I'll be locking up soon."

            When he brought his eyes up to see who stood in the doorway, they instantly snapped open. His mouth suddenly felt dry and his grip loose. His fingers grew numb as his shirt slipped from his grasp. "T…Tezuka…"

            The tall captain stood silently in the doorway, the sunset behind him silhouetting him. "Fuji," he acknowledged closing his eyes for a moment. "Tadaima."

            Eyes disappearing again and wide smile in place, Fuji picked up his shirt again to cover his bruises before walking to meet his captain. "Tezuka…" he repeated again. "Tezuka…you're…back…"

            "I called you earlier," Tezuka said simply, dropping his bag by his feet. His sharp eyes examined Fuji's weary face. "Since you didn't answer I assumed practice ran longer today."

            "I…I don't know why we even had practice today if you were coming back," Fuji said brightly. "The whole team should have been there the moment you stepped into the airport."

            "The team didn't know," Tezuka responded stonily, his gaze not moving from the shorter boy's face. "You were the only one I tried to call."

            Fuji's smile froze as he stood in silent shock. Tezuka's words made him feel hopeful and pathetic all at once. "If you don't mind me asking," he began smoothly, "why?"

            "I heard about the matches with Rikkai," the taller boy stated off-topic, sweeping by Fuji to sit on the bench next to the boy's bag.

            Again, Fuji stood motionless. A fresh wave of fear splashed over him for a moment before he pushed it down. Turning again to face the other boy, Fuji's strained smile stayed stretched on his face. "Ah, Rikkai. Their team is very impressive. Our doubles suffered tough losses, but singles did quite well. I'm very proud of how well Echizen played against such an amazing opponent."

            "What about you?" Tezuka asked bluntly, his eyes locked on to Fuji's. "Are you proud of how you played?"

            A fine crack was made in Fuji's mask then. His smile was shattered, but he continued to hide his demon eyes. _Because…of all people, I wouldn't want Tezuka to abandon me…_ "Ah…I guess not."

            "I'm sorry I wasn't there to see you play," the taller boy apologized, witnessing the subtle conflicting emotions on the other boy's face. "Fuji…"

            "It may have been better that way," Fuji responded easily, his smile unable return to his face. "You should have been there to see Echizen though. I'm sure he would have made you proud. But, you know, Tezuka… Even though you weren't actually there to physically see us, I think I know you were watching us in other ways."

            "That doesn't seem to make you very happy," Tezuka pointed out, further examining the other boy. "You're afraid, Fuji. I can see it."

            "Don't you hate me, Tezuka?" Fuji asked, gradually approaching the other boy. "That day…that match, didn't I become the kind of person you hate the most? You always said so yourself. A racquet—tennis in general isn't to hurt someone, right? Shouldn't you despise me for doing just that?"

            Tezuka remained in silence for a few painful moments before he finally responded, "I can't hate you."

            "That would be easier than liking me though," Fuji replied with false cheerfulness. Trudging over, he took a seat beside Tezuka with his smile difficultly in place again with much effort.

            "You enjoy making it hard for others to like you," Tezuka stated icily. It was not a question. Closing his eyes, he spoke again, "No, you're afraid of letting people like you. That match with Kirihara, that was your true self, that's why you're afraid."

            Slipping his shirt on and buttoning up the sleeves, Fuji replied quietly, "Something along those lines. I've always admired the way you dedicated yourself to tennis. You're perfect, Tezuka. It almost makes me a little jealous. You would never hurt someone the way I did. And I…don't really want to hurt anyone…"

            _"Hitoribocchi da yo…"_

            "You're not a bad person," Tezuka said quietly, not turning to look at the other boy. "In the eyes of those you've fought for, there can be no one kinder. Tachibana, Kawamura, and even your brother would understand what you've done for them. You're not a demon, Fuji. You're only just human."

            "If only everyone else thought so as well," Fuji said with a painful grin as he finished buttoning up his shirt. "I suppose not everyone in the world can be as forgiving as you and Saeki."

            Tezuka's eyes narrowed slightly at this. He had no idea who this Saeki was, nor did it matter to him. It only made him a little angry to know there was also someone else Fuji had. This would not be the best time to be jealous over that however. Reaching out, Tezuka poked his finger purposely into the bruise on Fuji's stomach, making the boy wince visibly. "Show me."

            "You probably just made it much worse right there," Fuji said weakly with a grin. "Tezuka, please. I just buttoned up my shirt."

            "Did you show Saeki?" Tezuka asked bluntly, turning to stare hard at the shorter boy. Noting the surprise on Fuji's face, Tezuka gently pushed away the boy's hands and unbuttoned his shirt again for further examination. It was already a long time since the match, but the bruise was still there while most of the others had healed. Tezuka wondered why that was…

            Giving up, Fuji put his arms behind him on the bench and leaned back slightly, letting Tezuka examine his stomach. It made him feel slightly awkward and embarrassed the way Tezuka stared at him so intently. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open when Tezuka leaned over to gently place his lips on the bruise. "Tezuka…?"

            "I don't want him to touch you."

            Fuji trembled slightly when Tezuka continued to gently kiss his stomach and up his chest. He was not completely sure whether Tezuka was referring to Kirihara or Saeki. Blue eyes directed up at the ceiling, Fuji slowly brought a hand out to twine his fingers in the taller boy's hair. "You don't want me, Tezuka… I'm already everything you've always hated."

            "It was your demon eyes that ensnared me," Tezuka said quietly, lifting his head until he was eye-level with Fuji. "I can't hate you."

            Something vibrated behind the blue-eyed boy suddenly. Hesitantly, Fuji removed his hand from Tezuka's hair to pick up his cell phone and examine the screen. Then suddenly, his chest was tied in knots. "It's Saeki."

            Closing his eyes, Tezuka sat up straight and adjusted his glasses. "Aren't you going to answer it?"

            Slowly, Fuji set his phone back into his bag. "I'll admit that yes, Saeki is very important to me. But, Tezuka… During that match, even though Saeki watched me with worried eyes, I could only think of you and how I could make you proud when you came back. I guess…there's not much to be proud of anymore."

            Fuji silently examined Tezuka's face with his sharp, sadness-filled blue eyes. "I _am_ afraid, Tezuka. I'm completely afraid of myself. Please save me…"

            Tezuka understood it when he pulled Fuji's chin up to crush their lips together. The bruise that would not disappear on Fuji's stomach was a visual sign of his fear. It would be Fuji's personal reminder never to show his true self again. "I want to heal it for you…"

            "Please…if you're not afraid," the blue-eyed boy whispered in response against Tezuka's warm lips.

            "I was already ensnared…"

            And then, darkness swirled around them where only a pair of demon eyes shone in the dark.

            Owari.

--- ---

**A/N:** @_x; ugh…that's a questionable ending there… I was planning to write this for quite a while, but never got around to it (much like many other ideas stored in my head x.x). *twitch* I love this pairing… they're just so… *twitch* x___x; did I mention it's killing me to find out the result of the Sanada vs. Echizen match?! …anyway, that was off-topic.

n_n I tried to make this story a bit more…eto, how should I say this…? Darker, I suppose. I may have left several loose ends, but hopefully nothing too messed-up… *sigh*

Oh, as for the horrible use of my badly conjugated Japanese (my father would kill me for forgetting how to use my Japanese after all those years of pathetically trying to get me to learn -___-):

"akuma no hitomi" – demon's eye(s)

"tadaima" – I'm home

"tenshi no egao ga mieru" – an angel's smiling face is visible

"demo ano akuma no hitomi ga chotto kowai ne" – but those demon eyes are a bit frightening

"chigai, kowakunai…zenzen kowakunai" – no, it's not frightening…not frightening at all

"tsubuyaite" – they whisper (my conjugation is questionable x.x)

"hitoribocchi da yo" – I am all alone

Thanks for reading, everyone! ^^;; *bow* minna-sama, doumo arigatou gozaimashita! (--practicing just in case XD)


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